This invention relates to front-serviceable appliances of the type requiring removal of a cabinet top for servicing.
In the field of appliances in general, and domestic laundry appliances in particular, the desirability of conserving floor space while optimizing the proximity of load openings in a washer-dryer combination is well known. Towards this end, the vertical stacking of washers and dryers has been employed with the usual arrangement placing the dryer on top. Although relatively space-efficient, such vertical stacking requires that damp, heavy laundry be lifted from the washer and raised to the height of the dryer load opening. Additionally, the mounts used to achieve vertical stacking interfere with servicing, since they prevent or make awkward the removal or displacement of service panels, such as cabinet tops. Furthermore, previously-known mounts makes it difficult to gain access to electrical connections for panel-mounted components, (e.g. power interrupting lid-open switches).
A coupling device for vertical stacking of laundry appliances is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,535 to Wassilak, et al the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The coupling device of this patent permits the removal of a cabinet top, but no details of such removal are disclosed. In most front-serviceable appliances, service panels or housings are hinged to the cabinet and secured into position by retaining clips (see, e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,618,193 to Cuthbert, et al, 4,572,596 to Weir, et al, or 4,268,098 to Kretchman, et al). Pivoting of the panels or housings provides a clearance for internal components such as water-inlet vacuum-breaks, but requires vertical space over and above the height of the washer, thus significantly increasing the liftover height in a vertically stacked arrangement. The retaining clips of these arrangements are regularly attached to a rear panel of the appliance, which may also contribute to increased liftover height.